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A Prayer about Suffering with the Savior

by | Dec 30, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Suffering with the Savior

Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword shall pierce your soul also)…Luke 2:34-35

Comforting Father,

As this year draws to a close,

I know many look forward to a new year, 

hoping that it will soften the harsh edges 

of last year’s grief, bringing new joys. 

May it be so. 

And yet, as we consider the words of Simeon 

to Mary and Joseph, 

we see that the call of a Christian 

is to know the abiding joy of our salvation 

even as we suffer piercing swords in our souls. 

Jesus was born to die. 

We are called to be reborn to die—

to our consuming agendas, 

to our self-salvation strategies, 

to our demand for certainty and control. 

Like Mary and Joseph, 

we are always richly blessed 

by our Savior. 

Like Mary and Joseph, 

we will at times endure piercing pain 

as we follow our Savior.  

May we embrace our calling 

with hearts of hope, 

knowing that our Savior 

“endured the cross” 

“for the joy set before him,” 

the joy of making us your beloved children. 

In the name of our Suffering Savior, Jesus, 

we pray. Amen.

Read Luke 2:33-35. 



 

A Prayer about the Comfort of a Suffering Savior

by | Dec 7, 2023 | Christmas, Christmas, Grief, Seasons & Holidays, Suffering

A Prayer about the Comfort of a Suffering Savior

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:4

Father of All Comfort,

With the losses of recent years mounting, 

divisions among friends and families, 

disease throughout the world,  

death of dear ones, 

we’re aware that this Christmas season 

may not be so merry for everyone. 

And yet, into the silent and dark season long ago, 

you sent your very own Son, 

a baby born to bear our griefs, 

a child delivered to carry our sorrow, 

an infant sent to suffer for our sins, 

Because he submitted to this suffering, 

we can know the “peace on earth” 

we will sing about in this season. 

Because he was “afflicted” by you (Isaiah 53:4), 

we can know the “joy to the world” 

we sing about in this season. 

Even in the midst of sorrow, 

may we see the profound hope of healing 

we have in our suffering Savior.

Amen. 

Read Isaiah 53:1-12. 

Get Elizabeth’s Advent devotional for free here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/34no8c805q.



 

A Prayer about Our Tear-Counting God

by | Nov 15, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Grief, Suffering

A Prayer about Our Tear-Counting God

You keep track of all my sorrows. 

You have collected all my tears in your bottle. 

You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8 

Tear-Counting God,

It has been a long season of loss for many.

Our friends are mourning, as are we…

Some have lost homes in fires and floods,

Some have lost children to miscarriage and the misery of sin,

Some have lost aunts or uncles or mothers or fathers to dementia or death,

Some have lost relationships to betrayal and abuse…

Some have lost peace in their country to war,

We’ve shed so many tears.

How can we endure the pain, Lord?

Only by knowing that you care about our tears,

that you count and collect them.

Only by knowing that you sent your Son

to weep real tears before he died on a cross

to redeem all of our tears.

Only by knowing that one day, our Savior will return,

and in that day, you will ever so gently

wipe the tears from our eyes. 

How we look forward to that day!

How we thank you for your love!

In Jesus’ weeping name. Amen.

Read Psalm 56; Revelation 21:4.



A Prayer about Affliction

by | Nov 7, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Affliction

I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Psalm 119:75

Faithful Lord,

The truth is, we don’t like to think that you afflict us. 

And then, when we do think you afflict us, 

we don’t always remember that it is 

“in faithfulness” that you do so. 

Today, I can more easily see how and why 

you might allow what feels like affliction in our lives. 

We have had to withhold food

from our beloved dog-who-thinks-she-is-a-person 

since last night at 8 p.m., 

because she is getting her teeth cleaned today. 

She has begged, 

she has nudged, 

she has barked her displeasure 

at not getting her morning treats, 

her morning meal, 

and her second round of morning treats. 

(I know, maybe we’re too extravagant with her?) 

(But not any less so than you are with us!).

To her, this feels like affliction. 

But we know that if we fed her, 

she might aspirate while under the anesthetic. 

Finally, she has settled, 

choosing to take a nap, 

choosing to trust 

that we have a good reason 

for “afflicting” her. 

Today, Lord, we pray that we would do the same—

that we would settle, 

that we would trust you, 

that we would know any affliction we experience 

is faithfully, sovereignly, lovingly 

administered by you. 

In the name of our afflicted Savior we pray. Amen.

Read Psalm 119:67, 71, 75. 



A Prayer about Being Persecuted as a Christian

by | Nov 4, 2023 | Daily Prayer, Gospel living, Spiritual Growth, Suffering

A Prayer about Being Persecuted as a Christian

‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you…. John 15:20

Precious Jesus,

We admit, we really like to be liked. 

Reading that we will be hated and persecuted 

“because [we] are not of this world” 

unnerves us.* 

Strengthen us to bear persecution, 

for indeed, 

it will come to your followers.** 

Help us to remember that it is not personal, 

especially when family and friends 

mock or abandon us 

because we follow you. 

Help us to endure persecution 

through looking to you, 

the “author and perfecter of our faith,” 

“who for the joy set before him 

endured the cross, 

despising the shame, 

and is seated at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 12:2). 

And most of all, help us to remember 

that we are not alone 

as we face persecution, 

for we have the Helper, 

the Holy Spirit, 

whom you sent to us. 

The Spirit will give us the words 

and the courage we need; 

the Spirit will comfort us 

and bandage our wounds. 

Thank you for giving us all we need 

to endure 

until the day 

of no more mourning, 

no more pain, 

no more shame. 

Amen.

*Today is the international day of prayer for the persecuted church. We will pray about persecution today and tomorrow (and on an ongoing basis.)

**This prayer based on a sermon by our pastor, Joel Treick. You can listen here (Find October 23 sermon): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pinewoods-church/id1550803637.